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The shadowy payday lending industry front group Floridians for Financial Choice prominently displays a link to “Voices of Support” on its website. According to an Allied Progress review of campaign finance data, the elected officials listed on this page have accepted at least $492,300 in campaign contributions from the payday lending industry.

Furthermore, Apopka Mayor Joe Kilsheimer worked for payday lender Amscot Financial prior to taking office. Amscot Financial and the Florida-based MacKechnie family which runs the company have contributed at least $970,050 to Florida elected officials since 2010. In 1998 Amscot Financial plead guilty to civil racketeering charges and as part of the plea agreement stemming from these charges, the company’s founder, Ian MacKechnie, Sr., was banned for life from selling auto insurance in Florida.

In addition to the elected officials listed on its “Voices of Support” page, Floridians for Financial Choice also feature former Rep. Kendrick Meek prominently throughout its website. Even though Meek hasn’t been in office for more than half a decade, he has still taken more money from payday lenders ($119,150) than any of Florida’s other members of Congress.

Florida Congressional Delegation

Rep. Gus Bilirakis – $18,800

Rep. Corrine Brown – $12,000

Rep. Vernon Buchanan – $1,000

Rep. Kathy Castor – $17,000

Rep. Ander Crenshaw – $22,900

Rep. Carlos Curbelo – $1,000

Rep. Ron DeSantis – $7,700

Rep. Ted Deutch – $14,500

Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart – $4,500

Rep. Lois Frankel – $10,000

Rep. Gwen Graham – $7,700

Rep. Alan Grayson – $10,300

Rep. Alcee Hastings – $117,950

Rep. David Jolly – $3,000

Rep. Jeff Miller – $4,000

Rep. Patrick Murphy – $63,900

Rep. Richard Nugent – $12,200

Rep. Bill Posey – $27,500

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen – $2,500

Rep. Dennis Ross – $31,850

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz – $68,100

Rep. Daniel Webster – $21,100

Total: $479,500

[Center for Responsive Politics]

Mayors Listed by Floridians for Financial Choice

Tarpon Springs Mayor David Archie – $0

Winter Haven Mayor Nathaniel Birdsong – $500

Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn – $4,500

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer – $4,300

Hialeah Mayor Carlos Hernandez – TBD

Apopka Mayor Joe Kilsheimer – $2,000

Bradenton Mayor Wayne Poston – $1,500

Total: $12,800

[Tarpon Springs City Clerk; Winter Haven City Clerk; Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections; Orlando City Clerk; Apopka City Clerk; Manatee County Supervisor of Elections]

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